Device for pushing and pulling implements, including cables, into and from conduits and the like

ABSTRACT

Device for pushing and pulling implements (e.g. pipe coating testers, pipe markers, pipe cleaners, pipe spray guns) along pipes or like elongated workpieces, said device having adjacent spools or reels with spirally coiled implement feeding and operating elements wound on the respective reels, the feeding element being operative to push and pull the implement into and from the pipe (or along the pipe) while the implement operating element is unwound from or rewound onto its reel.

United States Patent [1 1 Raney et a].

[111 3,776,179 Dec. 4, 1973 DEVICE FOR PUSI-IING AND PULLING IMPLEMENTS,INCLUDING CABLES, INTO AND FROM CONDUITS AND THE LIKE [76] Inventors:William E. Raney, 511 Morewood Pkwy., Rocky River, Ohio 441 16; Milan J.Siebert, 5617 Onaway Oval, Parma, Ohio 44130 22 Filed: Apr. 21, 1971[21] Appl. N0.: 136,189

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 762,061,Sept. 24, 1968,

Pat. No. 3,612,487,

[52] U.S. Cl 118/8, 118/9, 118/306, l5/l04.3 SN, 118/DIG. l0, 118/DIG.11 [51] Int. Cl. B05c 7/02, BOSc l-1/00 [58] Field of Search .1 118/9,306, DIG. 10, 1l8/D1G. l1, 8; 254/174; 15/1043 SN [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 2,501,779 3/1950 Loudenback etal. 118/3062,556,484

6/1951 Raney 254/l34.3

Primary Examiner-John P. McIntosh Att0rneyOberlin, Malgy, Donnelly &Renner [57] ABSTRACT Device for pushing and pulling implements (e.g.pipe coating testers, pipe markers, pipe cleaners, pipe spray guns)along pipes or like elongated workpieces, said device having adjacentspools or reels with spirally coiled implement feeding and operatingelements wound on the respective reels, the feeding element beingoperative to push and pull the implement into and from the pipe (oralong the pipe) while the implement operating element is unwound from orrewound onto its reel.

4 Claims, 7 Drawing figures I WENTEMER m5 UFFT I ENTEDUEC 4 I975 PULLDEVICE FOR PUSHING AND PULLING IMPLEMENTS, INCLUDING CABLES, INTO ANDFROM CONDUITS AND THE LIKE I This application is a division of U.S. Pat.Ser. No.' 762,061, filed Sept. 24, 1968, entitled Device for Pushing andPulling Implements, Including Cables, into and from Conduits and theLike, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,612,487.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is known for example, as disclosed inWilliam E. Raney U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,556,484 and 2,718,376, to pro vide acable puller which is operative first to push the free end of a spirallycoiled fish tape through an electrical conduit from one end to the otherand then to pull in the fish tape together with an electric cableattached thereto, thus to pull the cable into the conduit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION" In the present invention, the fish tape of acable puller is attached to an implement to move the latter in oppositedirections within a pipe or therea'long, and a spirally coiled operatingelement wound on a reel adjacent the fish tape reel is also connectedtothe implement to operate the latter. By way of illustrative examples,the implement may be a current leakage tester for' determining flaws inpipe coatings, a marker having a solenoid operated marking pen formarking the locations of coating flaws indicated by the tester, a spraygun for coating a pipe, or a brush for cleaning a pipe; and in theserespective cases, the operating elements may comprise electric supplycables for the tester and marker, paint and/or air hoses for the spraygun, and a cleaning fluid supply hose and spray nozzle 7 for the brush.

Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide a device ofthe character-indicated wherein adjacent spools or reels have implementfeeding means and implement operating means coiled therearound formoving the implement in opposite directions with re- 7 spect to alongitudinally elongated-workpiece such as a length of pipe or the like,and for operating the implement during either or both the feeding andreturn strokes of the implement.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device of thecharacter indicated in which the drive motor is equipped with a diskbrake or the like, the motor being deenergized and braked in response topredetermined pull-in of the feed element.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device of thecharacter indicated which has means responsive to predetermined pushingload on the feed element to de-energize the drive motor and to apply thebrake to arrest the feeding movement as when the implement attached tothe feed element encounters an obstruction in the pipe or the likethrough which the implement is being fed.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device of thecharacter indicated having a novel reversing mechanism to effectmovement of the feeding and operating elements aforesaid in oppositedirections with respect to an elongated workpiece such as a pipe or thelike.

'Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention.then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described andparticularly pointed out in the claims, the following description andthe annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrativeembodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of a fewof the various ways in which the principle of the invention may beemployed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF. THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a devicefor testing the internal coating of a pipe and for marking the pipe atthe points where flaws are detected by the tester;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view, partly in cross-section, as viewed alongthe line 22, FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view taken substantially along the line 33,FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view of the drive motor reversing mechanism takensubstantially along the line 4-4, FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a schematic wiring diagram of the embodi ment of the inventionshown in FIGS. 1 to 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top 'plan view similar to FIG.

1,.except showing a device for'testing the coating on DISCUSSION OF THEINVENTION Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 5, the device 1 shown for purposesof illustration is a coating flaw detector and marker and comprises asupport 2 for a length of pipe P having an internal coating of plasticor the like. Adjacent to one end of said support 2 is a reversible drivemotor 3 which through the worm unit 4, drives a shaft 5 on which spools6 and 7 are keyed, said shaft 5 having pinions 8 thereon each of whichmesh with an internal gear 9 of a spool 10 joumalled in a housing 1 l asby rollers l2. Coiled around the spools 6 and' 7 are implement operatingmeans 14 and 15 and coiled around the gear-driven spools 10 areimplement feeding means 16;]6. I

Each implement feeding means 16 comprises an elongated flexible elementpreferably of spring metal of rectangular cross-section similar to thefish tapes employed in the cable pullers of the aforesaid Raney, U.S.

Pat. Nos. 2,556,484 and 2,718,376. The end of one element 16 is securedto a coating test unit 17 such as a contact brush movable lengthwisethrough the pipe P in contact with the plastic or like coating insidethe pipe P. The other element 16 extends into a guide tube 19 and issecured to a marking device I8'which is guided along the guide tube 19for movement longitudinally along the outside of the pipe P, saidmarking device 18 comprising, for example, a felt tip pen operatedBetween the spools 6 and 7 and the respective imple- I ments l7 and 18there are provided suitable accumulators or festoon units 21 and 22 tocompensate for the changing diameters of the elements 14 and 15 asunwound from and rewound onto the spools 6 and 7.

In use, when the motor 3 is energized to drive the spools 6, 7, and in acounterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 2, the respectiveimplements l7 and 18 will be moved lengthwise within and along the pipeP. When the contact brush 17 comes into an area of the pipe P wherethere is an aperture in the plastic coating, or where the coating isthinner than desired, there will be current leakage thereat into themetal of the pipe P and when that occurs, a relay or the like (notshown) will be actuated to conduct electric current through the markeroperating element to energize the solenoid 20 thereof to mark thelocation of the flaw. As evident, flaw detection and marking may be donein both directions of movement of the contact brush 17 and markingdevice 18.

One feature of the present invention is that the drive motor 3 isequipped with a disk brake 32 or the like operated by solenoid 34 (seeFIG. 5), the brake 32 being applied when the element 16 is pulled to theright as viewed in FIG. 1 to a predetermined extent. The brake operatorcomprises a sleeve member 23 biased by spring 24 to the position shownin FIG. 2. The feeding element 16 is provided with an enlargement 25adjacent its end, and when said enlargement 25 contacts the flexibleextension 26 attached to the end of the sleeve memer 23, the latter ismoved to the right to open the limit switch 27 to de-energize the drivemotor 3 and to de-energize the solenoid 34 whereby the spring 33 appliesthe motor brake 32 as hereinafter explained in detail in connection withFIG. 5. The sleeve member 23 and flexible element 26 may move asubstantial distance compressing the spring 24 thus to avoid shock loadson the element 16 at the end of the pull stroke.

In the event that the implement 17 encounters an ob struction in thepipe P there is provided between two guide rollers 12 in the housing aspring-loaded roller 28 which, upon predetermined arching of the element16 opens the limit switch 29 to de-energize the motor 3 and tode-energize the solenoid 34 to apply the brake 32.

FIG. 4 illustrates a novel contact arrangement for achieving operationof the drive motor 3 in opposite directions to push and to pull theimplements l7 and 18. This reversing control comprises brushes 30 and 31on a brush holder 35 which may be swung by handle 36 between the solidline PUSH position and the dot-dash line PULL position. On the brushholder 35 are auxiliary contacts 37 and 38 which cooperate withstationary contacts 39 and 40 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Referring now in detail to FIG. 5, the circuit is shown in the PULLposition (handle 36 in solid line position of FIG. 4) with the motor 3energized through closed contactor 41 of the solenoid 42 to drive thespools 10 in clockwise direction (FIG. 2) to pull in the elements 16.When the limit switch 27 is opened by movement of sleeve member 23 aspreviously described, the solenoid 42 is de-energized to move thecontactor 41 downwardly to open the motor circuit and to deenergize thebrake solenoid thus to apply the motor brake 32 through spring 33. Inthis way, the pulling operation is discontinued before the sleeve member23 reaches the limit of its rightward movement.

When it is desired to push the implements l7 and 18, the handle 36 ofthe brush holder 35 is shifted to the dot-dash PUSH position FIG. 4) toopen the contacts 38 and 40 and to close the contacts 37 and 39 wherebysolenoid 42 is energized to move contactor 41 upwardly to close themotor and brake solenoid circuit. In the event that the implement 17encounters an obstruction, the element 16 will arch at the spring-loadedroller 28 to open the limit switch 29 thus to de-energize the solenoid42 to open the motor and brake solenoid circuit.

A remote control switch 43 may be provided as shown in FIG. 5 to stopthe pushing or pulling of the elements 16 at any time.

With reference to FIG. 6, this shows a single feeding element 16 andadjacent implement and marker oper ating cables 14 and 15 for testingthe coating on an exter'iorly coated pipe P and marking the exterior todenote the location of a flaw or flaws in the coating. In this case, thehigh voltage testing element 42 is in the form of a ring contact brusharound the externally coated pipe making contact with the coating andbeing fed along with the marker by the single feeding element 16.Connected to the testing element 44 is the high voltage cable 14 whichis unwound and rewound onto the spool 6. The marking device 18 is alsoconnected to element 16, the cable 15 on spool 7 supplying electriccurrent for energizing the solenoid 20 for the marking pen. In use, ifthe current leaks through the coating to the metal of the pipe due toinsufficient thickness of the plastic coating or to, an aperture in thecoating, the

current leakage will effect actuation of the marker 18 whereby the felttip marker pen or the like will place a mark on the pipe P. If thetester l7 and marker 18 are offset as shown, the flaw will be aspecified distance to the left of the mark placed on the pipe P. Ifdesired, a time delay dash-pot or the like may be provided in the markersolenoid 20 calibrated according to the lineal speed of the testingdevice so that the mark will be placed at substantially the location ofthe flaw in the pipe coating. I

Referring now to FIG. 7, the implement there shown is a compressed airspray gun 45 which is connected to element 16 and which is fed therebylongitudinally into and from a length of pipe P which it is desired tointeriorly coat. Connected to the spray gun 45 and to the respectivespools 46 and 47 are air supply and paint supply hoses 48 and 49. Thepainting operation is preferably effected during the pull stroke of thefeeding element 16. his to be understood that instead of an air spraygun 45, the spray gun may be of the airless spray type in which case, noair supply hose is needed. like wise, if the spray gun has its own paintsupply reservoir only the air supply hose need be connected to the gun.Furthermore, if the spray gun is of the electric type and contains itsown paint reservoir and pump, the operating element may be an electricconductor to actuate the electric motor or vibrator contained within thespray gun. Similarly, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat electrostatic painting means may be provided if desired wherein thepipe wall is charged to attract paint particles from the spray gun.

It is also to be understood that the implement attached to flexibleelement 16 may be a pipe cleaning or scraping element and in that casethe operating element may be an electric cable or a hose for washingfluid as desired, the electric cable being operative to control a motoror the like associated with the cleaning or scraping element.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed,change being made as regards the details described, provided thefeatures stated in any of the following claims, or the equivalent ofsuch, be employed.

We therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as ourinvention:

1. In combination, a housing having a passage disposed tangentially to acircular series of rollers rotatable in said housing; a spool in saidhousing joumaled for rotation therein by engagement of its peripherywith said roller; reversible drive means for driving said spool inopposite directions; a spirally coiled element on said spool adapted tobe payed out through said passage when said spool is driven in onedirection with the outer convolution engaged with said rollers and to bepulled in through said passage for rewinding on said spool when thelatter is driven in the opposite direction; an implement and opeatingmeans therefor secured to said element for movement of said implementlength-- wise in opposite directions of a pipe and the like responsiveto rotation of said spool in opposite directions; another spool adjacentto said housing driven in opposite directions by said drive means andhaving said operating means coiled thereabout for unwinding therefromand rewindingthereonto responsive to movement of said element andimplement in opposite directions; one of said rollers being radiallymovably supported in said housing and spring biased toward said spooland the outer convolution of said element; and switch means operative todeenergize said drive means during pay out of said element uponpredetermined radial outward movement of said one roller bypredetermined arching of said element between the rollers next adjacentto said one roller by compressive load on said element; suchpredetermined arching of said element detecting excessive resistance topay out movement of said implement and being effective through saidswitch means to deenergize said drive means.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said passage is defined by asleeve axially reciprocable in said housing; wherein said elementadjacent to said implement has an enlargement effective during rotationof said spool in a direction to pull in said element to engage saidsleeve to move it axially; and wherein another switch means is actuatedby movement of said sleeve to deenergize said drive means.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein spring means between said sleeveand said housing yieldably resists such axial movement of said sleeve.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said drive means comprises anelectric drive motor having a drive shaft with a drive pinion meshingwith an internal gear in said spool; and wherein said another spool iskeyed on said drive shaft.

1. In combination, a housing having a passage disposed tangentially to acircular series of rollers rotatable in said housing; a spool in saidhousing journaled for rotation therein by engagement of its peripherywith said roller; reversible drive means for driving said spool inopposite directions; a spirally coiled element on said spool adapted tobe payed out through said passage when said spool is driven in onedirection with the outer convolution engaged with said rollers and to bepulled in through said passage for rewinding on said spool when thelatter is driven in the opposite direction; an implement and opeatingmeans therefor secured to said element for movement of said implementlengthwise in opposite directions of a pipe and the like responsive torotation of said spool in opposite directions; another spool adjacent tosaid housing driven in opposite directions by said drive means andhaving said operating means coiled thereabout for unwinding therefromand rewinding thereonto responsive to movement of said element andimplement in opposite directions; one of said rollers being radiallymovably supported in said housing and spring biased toward said spooland the outer convolution of said element; and switch means operative todeenergize said drive means during pay out of said element uponpredetermined radial outward movement of said one roller bypredetermined arching of said element between the rollers next adjacentto said one roller by compressive load on said element; suchpredetermined arching of said element detecting excessive resistance topay out movement of said implement and being effective through saidswitch means to deenergize said drive means.
 2. The combination of claim1 wherein said passage is defined by a sleeve axially reciprocable insaid housing; wherein said element adjacent to said implement has anenlargement effective during rotation of said spool in a direction topull in said element to engage said sleeve to move it axially; andwherein another switch means is actuated by movement of said sleeve todeenergize said drive means.
 3. The combination of claim 2 whereinspring means between said sleeve and said housing yieldably resists suchaxial movement of said sleeve.
 4. The combination of claim 1 whereinsaid drive means comprises an electric drive motor having a drive shaftwith a drive pinion meshing with an internal gear in said spool; andwherein said another spool is keyed on said drive shaft.